Known from the prior art are field devices of various interfaces—for example, with an inductive interface. Here, a sensor or a measuring transducer should be cited as an example of a field device. For instance, a sensor can be connected with a superordinate unit via this inductive interface. These sensors are characterized in that, among other things, they can be quickly connected and removed. Peripheral devices (sensors, for instance) may in turn be connected correspondingly quickly and simply to the measuring transducer. The combination of measuring transducer plus connected cable may also thus be considered to be a measuring transducer. At the end of the cable distant from the measuring transducer, an additional field device (a sensor, for instance) is thereby connected via the inductive interface. At the other end of the cable, i.e., at the side of the measuring transducer, the cable is connected with said measuring transducer by means of a contact interface.
Field devices require inputs in the form of digital data for the most varied tasks. For instance, these must be transferred to the field device via an additional interface, e.g., via a USB interface, by means of SD card, or via Ethernet or another bus. If the field device is designed as a sensor, the data must be transferred to the sensor via a measuring transducer connected to said sensor.
All of these ways are either cumbersome or require an additional interface.
The present disclosure is based upon the aim of transferring digital data to a field device in a simple manner.
The aim is achieved via a measurement arrangement including: a first process automation technology field device, wherein the first field device includes a first (in particular, an inductive) interface and a data processing unit and wherein a second process automation technology field device can be connected to the first interface, and a data transfer device having a second (in particular, inductive) interface that is designed to complement the first interface, wherein the data transfer device can be connected via this to the first field device, wherein the data transfer device includes a data transfer module with which digital data can be transferred from a source to the data processing unit of the first field device via the data transfer device and the first or second (in particular, inductive) interface.
An inductive interface allows the fast connection of sensors to and removal of sensors from the field device. This advantage can be utilized in order to momentarily connect a data transfer device to the inductive sensor interface. After the transfer of the data, the interface is then available again for the sensor operation. An additional interface for data transfer is not necessary. On the other hand, a transport medium for digital data and a possibility of transferring the data from the source to the medium are required. Here, a technology that is widespread is advantageous.
In an embodiment, the data transfer module of the data transfer device is therefore a Bluetooth module, in particular, a Bluetooth Low Energy module.
In another embodiment, the data transfer module of the data transfer device is therefore a barcode reader—in particular, a 2-D barcode reader.
In an embodiment, the first field device is a sensor for measuring measurement values of at least one measurement variable and the measurement arrangement includes the second field device, and the second field device is a measuring transducer.
In another embodiment, the first field device is a measuring transducer and the measurement arrangement includes the second field device, and the second field device is a sensor.
The object is likewise achieved via a method for temporarily transferring digital data from a source by means of a measurement arrangement as described above, including the steps: temporarily connecting the data transfer device to the first field device via the first and second (in particular, inductive) interface, transferring the digital data from the source to the data transfer device by means of the data transfer module, transferring the digital data from the data transfer device to the data processing unit of the first field device via the second and first (in particular, inductive) interface, and processing the digital data via the data processing unit.
In an embodiment, the data transfer module of the data transfer device is a Bluetooth module—in particular, a Bluetooth Low Energy module—and a mobile device reads in the digital data, and these are transferred from the mobile device to the data transfer device—and ultimately to the first field device—by means of Bluetooth via the data transfer module.
In another embodiment, the data transfer module of the data transfer device is a barcode reader—in particular, a 2-D barcode reader—and the barcode reader reads in the digital data, and these are ultimately sent to the first field device.
In a further development, the digital data may include an unlock code for unlocking additional functionalities of the first and/or second field device; device settings of the first and/or second field device; software modules of the first and/or second field device; data for modifying the firmware of the first and/or second field device; and/or calibration data of the first and/or second field device.
If the first field device is designed as a measuring transducer, and the second field device is designed as a sensor, the method includes the following additional steps: removing the data transfer device from the measuring transducer, connecting the sensor to the measuring transducer, transferring the digital data from the measuring transducer to the sensor, and processing the digital data via the sensor.
The digital data are thereby transferred first from the source via the data transfer device to the measuring transducer. These may be pre-processed or additionally processed there, as applicable. After the data transfer device has been removed from the inductive interface, a second field device viz., the sensor, is connected. The digital data are then transferred to the sensor. This likewise includes a data processing unit. The digital data are accordingly further processed there. For instance, additional functionalities of the sensor may thereby be unlocked.
The sensor may thus, on the one hand, be designed as a first field device and, on the other hand, as a second field device.